We’re excited to announce our new photo contest! Even though lifts have stopped running at most destinations in North America doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to your hard-earned goggle tan! We want to help one lucky winner keep it by giving away the vacation of a lifetime to Valle Nevado, Chile and gear from our friends at POC.

To participate, take a photo showing how you keep your #goggletan during the summer. This could include lying on the beach, mowing the lawn, playing volleyball or hanging out on a boat – while wearing a pair of goggles.

Then follow these steps to enter to win:

Submit photos now through June 16. Then a panel of Ski.com judges will then select the top 21 photos to move onto the voting round. From June 17 to July 1, everyone is invited back to Ski.com’s Facebook Page to vote for their favorite photo from the list of finalists.

The photo receiving the most votes will win the grand prize, which includes:

• a seven-night stay at Valle Nevado’s hotel Puerta del Sol
• lift tickets for Valle Nevado, El Colorado and La Parva
• breakfast and dinner daily
• a pair of POC Lobes goggles and a POC Fornix helmet

If you’re ready to book your trip to South America this summer, visit the South America section of the Ski.com website or give us a call at 800-610-8911 to speak with one of our highly knowledgeable Mountain Vacation Specialists.

Happy posting and good luck!

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Vail Closing Day
Thanks to 12 inches of new snow in the last week, Vail’s Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin will be open and skiing great through closing day on April 14. Like its terrain, Vail closing day is big. Vail has been celebrating its 50 years all season long. So, closing weekend will be party to end a year-long party, so to speak.  So, be ready. There are endless après parties all over the base villages, a stacked list of live concerts, including O.A.R., Sublime with Rome and reggae legend Jimmy Cliff,  and of course the World Pond Skimming Championships at Golden Peak. Book your last minute Vail Closing Day vacation.

Breckenridge Closing Day
If the concerts−Matisyahu and Colorado-native band 3OH!3 − don’t convince you to join the ruckus festivities of Breckenridge Closing Weekend, then the fresh 11 inches of powder should. Be sure to cheer on the competitors in the Imperial Challenge, a unique snow triathlon of sorts that includes a six mile bike to the base of Peak 8, and then an ascent to the top of Peak 8, and a descent back to the bottom. Book your last minute Breckenridge Closing Day vacation.

Aspen Mountain & Snowmass Closing Day
With a whopping 14 new inches of snow, Aspen/Snowmass seemed to fare best from this recent storm. Conditions will surely be prime for closing celebrations at both Aspen Mountain and Snowmass. For ultimate hilarity, you’ll want to head to Snowmass’ Schneetag−German word for “snow day” event.  Costumed participants perform silly dances before sending themselves and their handmade craft into frigid water. And don’t forget, Aspen Highlands is open until April 21, and with more snow in the forecast, you might want to consider a last minute Aspen ski vacation.

Steamboat Closing Day
Steamboat Springs is renowned as a “snow vortex,” it’s often a Colorado leader in annual snowfall, and this year was no different. Steamboat recently surpassed the 300-inch mark, so closing weekend conditions will certainly deliver. Be sure to check out the silliness of Steamboat’s 33^rd Annual Cardboard Classic. Teams construct cardboard crafts and ride them into a freezing pond. There’s also traditional, costumed pond skim to keep the laughs coming. And don’t miss jamgrass band Missed the Boat, who will be performing on April 13. Book your last minute Steamboat Closing Day vacation.

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No joke: Alta and Solitude received more than a foot of snow on April 1!

An April 1 storm dropped a foot of snow on resorts across Utah, delivering mid-winter conditions and a welcome snow report! Park City Mountain Resort was the big winner with 15 inches, but Alta, Solitude and Canyons all broke the 12-inch mark. There are still a few weeks left to enjoy some spring powder, so check out our ski vacation deals and book your trip today!

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Big Sky Tram and headed down Headwaters on the Moonlight Basin side

Ski.com visited Big Sky Resort and Moonlight Basin this week, and it was quite literally awesome. Big and beautiful with a real sense of place, this stunning corner of Montana is a treat for expert skiers as well as families.

With 5,532 acres of terrain between Big Sky and Moonlight Basin and a tagline that boasts The Biggest Skiing in America© , the obvious size is impressive. However, it’s hard to believe the actual scale of the place until you see the Big Sky Tram disappear into the mist hanging on Lone Peak or a speck transform into a snowboarder descending Moonlight Basin’s Headwaters. These mountains are massive, and the extreme terrain is downright impressive. But don’t worry: skiers have to take some initiative to get involved in the serious double blacks (i.e. ride the tram or hike a short way), so thankfully little Billy isn’t going to get cliffed out on the Dictator Chutes by accident.

Speaking of little ones, this place is heaven for families. The lower-mountain terrain is a mix of wide-open groomers, irresistible tree trails, terrain parks and undulating runs that meander through pine forests. Off the mountain on the Big Sky side, Mountain Village is circled by lodges, the Mountain Mall and about a dozen restaurants. After the lifts close, teenagers circle around outdoor fire pits, giggling kids (and adults) fly across a zip line overhead, the Summit at Big Sky slope-side hot tub bubbles with après-ski activity, and snowcats depart for Montana Dinner Yurt.

There’s much more to say about Big Sky Resort and Moonlight Basin, and if you’d like to learn more, visit our resort page or call one of our Mountain Vacation Specialists at 800-908-500.

Thanks again to our hosts in Big Sky and Moonlight Basin. We’ll be back!

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“[Snowcial] is Silicon Valley meets the High Sierra, “Revenge of the Nerds” hangs with “The Hangover,” according to Jules Older, San Francisco Chronicle.

Yeah, yeah… there aren’t any friends on a powder day, but if your crew isn’t with you, it’s a necessity to share the stoke. On that note, and after a weekend of geeking out on social media, we’re inspired to highlight our favorite ways to brag about fresh tracks, sick tricks and the best days ever.

Best skiing/snowboarding apps:

• SNOCRU – Called the “Frankenstein of winter apps” by ESPN, this mobile app does it all: check global snow conditions, find your friends on the mountain in real time, track your day on the slopes, hit up the best après ski party or local shop, and share the whole experience on Facebook and Twitter.
• EpicMix –Vail Resorts’ app has you covered at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Heavenly, Kirkwood and Northstar. Share your resort photos on Facebook and Twitter, chart your vertical feet, and win “pins” when you complete certain tasks, like the Connoisseur pin that’s awarded when you ride 75+ lifts. New this year, Vail and Heavenly offer EpicMix Racing that lets users track their times and race against others – even pacesetter Lindsay Vonn.
• Instagram – Alright, this one is pretty obvious, but if you haven’t used this photo-editing app to crop, filter and post your snow pictures, you’re missing out. It’s where the pros are posting, and our feed is pretty slick as well.
• Vine – Brand new from Twitter, Vine is a similar micro-blogging tool, but instead of 140 characters, you have 6 seconds of video to play with. That may not sound like much, but if a picture is worth a thousand words… you get the point.
•  Big Words – You had the BEST DAY EVER. Download this app, spell out your stoke and text it to you friends.

Get social with Ski.com on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and Pinterest.

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Winter Park Ski Resort’s “Mary Jane” from a distance.

Last Friday I had the pleasure of visiting Winter Park Ski Resort for the first time. After reading and hearing about it for the last few years, I knew my one task at hand for the day was to make it over to their famed terrain for bumps and trees: Mary Jane Mountain. After a morning of warming up our legs on fresh powder and a lunch refueling on chili, we headed over to the terrain we had been eyeing all day. With six inches of fresh snow and more falling on us, it was everything I had expected and more. At one point in the afternoon a coworker pointed out that I had been giggling like a school girl over every bump and around every tree.

Every ski resort seems to have at least one iconic run, chute, bowl or section of the mountain that adds to its notoriety in the ski world. Mary Jane has officially been added to my list of favorites. Here are a few more you should add to yours:

Revelation Bowl – Telluride, CO: Relatively new to Telluride (it opened during the 2008/2009 season), north-facing Revelation Bowl is conveniently located off the back side of Gold Hill and Chair 14 and is accessible by a quad lift.

Blue Sky Basin – Vail, CO: As one of Vail’s legendary seven Back Bowls, Blue Sky Basin is seven miles from Vail Village and is the most remote destination at the nation’s largest ski resort. The trek to get there via four different lifts is worth it, however, as skiers and riders enjoy a 645-acre backcountry playground consisting of moguls, groomers, trees, glades and cliffs.

Highland Bowl – Aspen, CO: Located on the peak of Aspen Highlands, this locals’ favorite is left to those willing to earn their turns with a gradual 45-minute hike to its summit. The reward is spectacular views and 2,500-vertical-foot descents down varied terrain including incredible tree skiing and pitches as steep as 45 degrees.

Rendezvous Bowl – Jackson Hole, WY: Located 4,139 feet above the valley floor andaccessed by Jackson Hole’s famous aerial tram, Rendezvous Bowl gives skiers and riders the chance to experience a fairly steep grade and abundant powder stashes after one of Jackson’s many humongous snowfalls.

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Last Friday, a crew of Ski.comers headed up to enjoy the on-mountain goods at our neighbors to the north: Vail. The Annual Vail Ski Day was a huge success with a full day on the mountain, complete with lunch at Two Elks on the edge of their famous Back Bowls and an après-ski session at the Arrabelle at Vail Square.

As a former Vail resident, I always love getting back there and enjoying some of my favorite places and am often contacted by twice-removed family members, friends of friends, and other acquaintances, requesting recommendations on places to eat, drink and be merry in this Colorado playground. During my quick visit last week I was sure to hit up some of my usual haunts and thought I’d share a few of my top experiences should you visit this High Country paradise:

• Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek – keep an eye on their calendar and you could catch an incredible comedy show or world-renowned musician.
• The Osprey Lounge – located in the Osprey at Beaver Creek, a RockResort, this tapas-inspired restaurant may look understated but serves up some of the best concoctions in the valley. Get the tempura asparagus, prosciutto and Gouda…and…well you basically can’t go wrong with any of it.
•  French Deli – located in the heart of Lionshead, Les Delices de France (known to locals simply as the French Deli) is the perfect pit stop to grab a breakfast sandwich before jumping on the gondola.
• Garfinkel’s – also located in Lionshead, Garfinkel’s is, in my humble opinion, the go-to place to après in Vail. An expansive sundeck is the perfect place to enjoy a cold one on a sunny afternoon and if you head there on a Friday, you can have any drink of your choice during “$3 You-Call-Its”.

If you’re looking for more recommendations and insider tips on Vail, Beaver Creek or any other one of your favorite ski destinations, our Mountain Vacation Specialists can share their extensive and intimate knowledge with you. Additionally, you should be sure to follow us on Facebook to stay up to date on the latest happenings in Ski Country.

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Growing up in Michigan, my first few times skiing took place at a small resort less than an hour’s drive from my parents’ house. If I remember correctly, the skies were always cloudy, the temperatures were very cold, the chairlift rides were long and the runs were short. The overall experience, however, was life changing. Because of my brother’s and my new shared interest in skiing, my parents were kind enough to take us on our first family ski trip to the big leagues. The destination: Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

Taking a family ski trip is definitely not the easiest or the most affordable type of family vacation. Frankly, I think it took some guts from my parents to make it happen. But they did, and that ski trip—and the subsequent ones after that—are and always will be some of my fondest memories of time spent as a family.

If you’re weighing the pros and cons of taking your family on a vacation this season, I think the New York Times addressed it best in an article they published last winter.

“Because, like generations of skiers before us, we will eventually push off, leaving behind not just all that schlepping, but the weight of Newton’s laws as well. Gravity becomes our friend. The sullen teenager lights up, the 8-year-old stops whining, and your spouse is no longer a parent, but a fellow skier. We will each take our own route, but we will go down the hill together.”

Decide to take a family ski trip this year and let Ski.com make it easy for you. From helping you choose the right resort to making sure everything you want in a vacation is included and within budget, Ski.com and our experienced Mountain Vacation Specialists are here for you. Get started by checking out our deals online and below. At any point in the planning or booking process, give us a call at 800-299-0656 to speak with one of our Specialists.

We look forward to seeing you (and yours) out here,

D.S.

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Though Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, you don’t need to use that as an excuse to head to the mountains this winter for a romantic getaway. Combine your passion for the slopes with your passion for each other and break up the winter days (and nights) by traveling to a romantic mountain destination. Escape the normalcy of everyday life by skiing or riding your favorite mountain, taking in some majestic scenery, enjoying hot toddy by a roaring fire and soaking in a hot tub under a blanket of stars.

At Ski.com we always love to give our own personal recommendations for places to eat, stay, visit, explore and experience. Here are a few of our favorite picks in a few of our favorite categories.

Romantic Dinner Spots:

• Beano’s Cabin - Beaver Creek, CO
• Pine Creek Cookhouse - Aspen, CO
• Waldhaus Restaurant - Banff, Alberta

Romantic Hot Tubs:

• BlueSky Breckenridge - Breckenridge, CO
• Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel - Banff, Alberta
• Independence Square - Aspen, CO
• Snake River Lodge and Spa - Jackson Hole, WY

Romantic Fireplaces:

• Northstar Village - Northstar, Lake Tahoe, CA
• Park Hyatt Beaver Creek - Beaver Creek, CO
• Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe lobby - Northstar, Lake Tahoe, CA

There is something inherently romantic about being in the mountains. Whether you decide to book your mountain getaway for a special occasion, like Valentine’s Day, or you just want to spice things up in an otherwise dull winter, Ski.com is here to make sure you have the best experience possible – and at a great price. To start the process, take a look at our deals online and below or speak with a love doctor Mountain Vacation Specialist by calling 800-299-0656.

We’ll keep the hot tubs warm until you get here.

D.S.

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Have you ever had a “perfect day”? The kind where you wouldn’t change a single thing from the people you were with and the places you went to, to the things you did there? That sentiment seemed to be a theme this past weekend within myself and nearly everyone I came across. One of those days where between the time you put your boots on in the morning and when you finally take them off 10 or so hours later, you experience the full effect of this culture we love. From bluebird skiing and riding on your favorite mountain with a handful of your friends or family members to an outdoor après session in the sun where you reminisce over the turns you just took. My sun-kissed skin, wobby legs and perma-grin were similar to those of the people I encountered along the way over the weekend and I was reminded of that feeling of camaraderie I love about this culture – that feeling of, “Yeah, this is pretty great.” I hope you get a “perfect day” in soon!

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